When choosing the correct flexible films to use, you’ve got a lot of options. On the one hand, you have BOPP or biaxially oriented polypropylene overwrap film, or you’ve got bundling film. If you’re not sure what’s right for you, let’s dive into this, and figure out the properties of each, and the applications of such too. 

What are they 

First, you’ve got biaxially oriented polypropylene or BOPP film, which is a kind of film packaging that’s stretched on equipment and goes with differ directions, which causes a chain orientation in the direction it’s used. This is done with a tubular type of production, where a bubble of film is inflated, and from there warmed to the point of softening, and from there stretched up to 400%. 

There is another stretching process that’s used too called tenter frame film, and in this one, the polymers get extruded, placed on cold cast rolls or base sheets, and then stretched in the direction, using the same several kinds of rolls to make BOPP film. 

This increases the properties of the barriers to the oxygen and the vapor, making it resistant to impact, and it does also have flex crack resistance, which is much better than shrink film. 

What about bundling film. This is shrink film that’s created out of different plastic layers, with most of this being used to package items which’re heavier. 

This is done to generate what’s called multi packs that have a better, higher strength than the regular shrink film. This is sent through a sealer and then is placed with the product inside of a heat tunnels, so that it shrinks all around the product. Unlike normal shrink film, this type of film does cool and usually starts to do so after it leaves the heat tunnel. 

Applications 

For BOPP film, this is used mostly in the packaging of food, replacing what’s called cellophane for tobacco and food packaging, and it has a better barrier against oxygen and vapors, at a much lower cost. 

Many businesses choose to use this because it’s got better properties along with capabilities. This is hard for heat sealing to fully implement, but it’s pretty straightforward as well by coating this after processing with a heat sealing material, or through co-extruding with what’s called a co-polymer before the processing happens, which allows for the film to be multi-layer. 

Bundling film is to put together multi-packs of items, which are basically a bunch of consumer products that are all the same, when sold in bulk they have a lower price usually. This is easier for people to purchase since they save money by buying more, which encourages them to purchase more of these too. 

What’s right for You? 

If you’re curious about which one is better, it depends on what you’re going to use it for. If you’re packaging anything with tobacco, you don’t want to treat it to too much heat, so you want to have BOPP film If you’re going to have multi-packs though, and want to sell items in bulk, then do that. 

For any products that need better barriers against oxygen and vapor, then you want to get BOPP. If you want bulls eye packaging to help make everything a unit, then you’ll want to use bundling film since it’s indeed the better choice. 

If you’re worried about impacts and want some impact resistance, then BOPP is your best option. If you’re selling beverages, then bundling film is the best. If you’d like to minimize the flex crack reissuance, then BOPP is going to be the item needed.